GUILTY AL - Hiawayi Robinson, 8, Prichard, 16 September 2014

PRICHARD, Ala. (WALA)  A Prichard family is pleading for help to find a missing 8-year-old Hawayi Populus Robinson. Family members say Hawayi was last seen around 5 p.m. Tuesday, September 16 at the Saint Stephens Wood Apartments in Prichard.
The family said Hawayi came home from school, as she always does, to change her clothes and meet up with her father. They said she would never leave without anyone, especially her mother, not knowing her whereabouts.

A Prichard family is pleading for help to find a missing 8-year-old Hawayi Populus Robinson. Family members say Hawayi was last seen around 5 p.m. Tuesday, September 16 at the Saint Stephens Wood Apartments in Prichard...

She was last seen wearing purple pants, a white shirt and had braids in her hair.

Neighbors and friends helped search for the little girl into the late hours of the night... Melanie Baldwin with the Prichard Police Department said officers were called to the apartment complex Tuesday night after Hawayi was reported missing.

I read the news article. I am a little unclear on the sequence of what happened. She got home from school around 5 p.m. and was seen outside the apartment complex but never actually came inside their apartment to change her clothes? Or she changed her clothes and went out without seeing a parent/telling them she was going outside?

10:27 a.m. Update: Prichard police have blocked off a wooded area in the search for Hiawayi Robinson, 8, of Prichard. Prichard Police Chief Michael Rowland says the department responded around 10 p.m. Tuesday night and issued a nationwide search through NCIC, a communication system used by police. Rowland says they also contacted the group Klaas Kids Foundation out of Pensacola to bring in search dogs. Rowland says Robinson was walking to a family member&#8217;s home voluntarily; therefore there was no indication that she was abducted. Rowland says that did not meet the qualifications to issue and Amber Alert. Prichard Police have now begun a formal search to eliminate the possibility of Robinson being lost or hurt.

Ah, this really helps. Tx. so much...I wonder how far away the cousin's apartment was...hoping some reports come in (from the complex) detailing anyone who saw her and what she was doing -- if seen talking to someone or etc.

10:27 a.m. Update: Prichard police have blocked off a wooded area in the search for Hiawayi Robinson, 8, of Prichard. Prichard Police Chief Michael Rowland says the department responded around 10 p.m. Tuesday night and issued a nationwide search through NCIC, a communication system used by police. Rowland says they also contacted the group Klaas Kids Foundation out of Pensacola to bring in search dogs. Rowland says Robinson was walking to a family member&#8217;s home voluntarily; therefore there was no indication that she was abducted. Rowland says that did not meet the qualifications to issue and Amber Alert. Prichard Police have now begun a formal search to eliminate the possibility of Robinson being lost or hurt.

Did not realize that about Amber Alert. She's 8, so even if she "voluntarily" walked to someone's house/apartment, it is obviously very concerning that she didn't arrive there! What 8-year-old little girl is going to "voluntarily" stay out after dark and be on their own? Maybe it happens, but it seems the most unlikely possibility, IMHO. And plus, from her Mom's own words, sounds like she is as responsible as an 8-year-old can be. If that is how Amber Alert is written as law (and not blaming LE on that), I understand, but just sayin' it seems unreasonable to think she has gone off the grid on purpose...

What a pretty girl, hoping she's safe.
Was she last seen at 5pm but not reported missing until 10pm? If she was meeting her dad there, you would think he would have been concerned when she didn't arrive. Unless he didn't get there until late of course.

I grew up in Mobile. Prichard was considered a very high crime area at that time (years ago). I hope it has changed but from my trips back to see my 93 year old Dad and my friends who are still there, there has been a little improvement but still pretty crime riddled. Also, the proximity to major water scares me for this cutie-pie.

Ugh this is reminding me of that case a few years ago (PA or NJ?) where the little girl went missing in her apartment complex and it was a janitor/maintenance man . Sorry, can't remember the name of that little girl, just know it was a local (to me) story.

I wish people didn't give these little one's so much freedom. My 10 year old daughter and 9 year old son try to talk me into letting them walk to the park without me that is one block over from my home, um no crazy children, we are to trusting sometimes with our little ones.

I wish people didn't give these little one's so much freedom. My 10 year old daughter and 9 year old son try to talk me into letting them walk to the park without me that is one block over from my home, um no crazy children, we are to trusting sometimes with our little ones.

What a pretty girl, hoping she's safe.
Was she last seen at 5pm but not reported missing until 10pm? If she was meeting her dad there, you would think he would have been concerned when she didn't arrive. Unless he didn't get there until late of course.

Wonder how far away her cousins live.

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Post #4 -- cousin's apartment/same complex...and as for the other question, don't understand that either. But Post #4 also mentions about mother saying she knows to be home by "dark," so...well, it's just very concerning.

Behind the CVS pharmacy next to the apartment complex Prichard police officers put up crime scene tape to create a private area for search teams to work from, said Interim Prichard Police Chief Michael Rowland.

Police, Mobile County sheriff's deputies and trained volunteers with the non-profit Klaas Kids Foundation planned to scour the heavily wooded area surrounding the complex. Cars headed into the apartments were stopped as authorities worked to secure the scene.

"The area around the complex is... heavily overgrown with vegetation and we need professional searchers to go through this area and see if they could determine if the child may be in that area," Rowland said.

Post #4 -- cousin's apartment/same complex...and as for the other question, don't understand that either. But Post #4 also mentions about mother saying she knows to be home by "dark," so...well, it's just very concerning.

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Maybe when she never showed up at the cousin's place, the cousin and dad simply thought she'd changed her mind and decided not to visit? So, mom thought dad had her, and vice versa?

Ugh this is reminding me of that case a few years ago (PA or NJ?) where the little girl went missing in her apartment complex and it was a janitor/maintenance man . Sorry, can't remember the name of that little girl, just know it was a local (to me) story.

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Don't know about a NJ/PA story, but Jorelys Rivera in Georgia came to my mind.

This does not sound good. Praying she is found safe, fearing for the worst.

Maybe when she never showed up at the cousin's place, the cousin and dad simply thought she'd changed her mind and decided not to visit? So, mom thought dad had her, and vice versa?

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Could be. None of it will probably make sense to me anyway, because I am over-protective. World is just, unfortunately, a scary place at times. I know parents have to sometimes find a balance, but...well, this is where we are right now, so I am just hoping for the best, but this is a scary scenario.

Ugh. I'm sure we all can think of news stories where this ends horribly. Gives me a sick feeling. I am really hoping for it being something like she's lost, because that's the most hopeful thing I can think of right now.